Singapore-based architect Soo Chan is designing a building near the High Line in which 16 of the 31 very expensive condos will have private pools. Chan tells the BBC that his signature style of "neo-tropical architecture," which blends indoor and outdoor spaces, is a bit foreign to New Yorkers. Which makes sense, since they are still battle-scarred from another polar vortexy winter.
"It certainly evokes a reaction, you either like it, or you think it's a bit crazy. People thinkit's a pool. Do I swim every day? How do I maintain it? But he's not worried about selling the apartments in the Soori High Line, in part because "true luxury means never having to worry about all these practicalities." Do the apartments come with dedicated pool boys? Stay tuned.
Chan has experience building projects like this in Asia, so he says he just has to do some convincing: "The risk is not in the making of it, but in culturally getting everyoneeven my own salespeople and consultantson board."
Sales launched in August, and prices range from $3 to $22 million. Chan says it will sell out, but right now StreetEasy shows no units in contract yet.
The Soori High Line is Chan's first major project in New York, and he checks in on it daily, even zooming in to check out welding work, via a real-time app that connects to cameras trained on the construction site.
Hot on Soori's heels are Chan's other NYC commissions: another High Line-area building; and a 38-story tower on East 59th Street.
· From Lego bricks to designing luxury flats in New York [BBC]
· Private Pool-Equipped Soori High Line Condos Hit the Market [Curbed]
· All Soori High Line coverage [Curbed]
· All Soo Chan coverage [Curbed]
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